In many operating tables of this kind, the bed is rotatable about the vertical longitudinal axis of the table column, in order to bring the bed into a suitable position, depending on the space requirement or on the type of surgical intervention to be carried out. The bed then has to be detained in this suitable position in terms of rotation about the vertical table-column axis.
A rotatability of the bed about the vertical table-column axis can be achieved, for example, in that a column-side portion of the column foot is mounted rotatably on a floor-side portion of the column foot, and the two portions of the column foot can then be clamped by means of a mechanical clamping mechanism in order to detain the position of the bed.
In mechanical clamping mechanisms, however, there is the problem that it is difficult to dimension the clamping force accurately. In mechanical clamping devices in which the clamping force is directly related to the mechanical adjustment of a clamping element, these clamping elements should be installed with only a very low installation tolerance, because a deviation of the installation position has a direct effect on the clamping force. Since both too low and too high a clamping force are to be avoided without fail, mechanical clamping devices must be produced with high precision and at an associated high outlay.